And on a second occasion I saw Him praying within me, and I was as it were, inside my own body , and I heard Him above me—that is, above my inner self. He was praying powerfully with sighs. And in the course of this I was astonished and wondering, and I pondered who it could be who was praying within me. But at the end of the prayer it was revealed to me that it was the Spirit. And so I awoke and remembered the Apostle’s words: ‘Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we know not how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for utterance.’ And again: ’The Lord our advocate intercedes for us.’
Patrick, 390-461 AD, Confession, 25, ( Christian Classics Ethereal Library p.10)
Is this a good picture of what God does for us when we pray? How should this affect our lives?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Perhaps it is just one of the ways that the Spirit intercedes. My view is that the Spirit prays through us. Sometimes in words unintelligible. Other times in specific with hands laid on the object of prayer. Sometimes in general terms such as Thy will be done. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteI would agree. I would want to limit what the Spirit does to one particular approach.
Delete